FREEDOM

Thanks, global arms trade treaty. We made history!

IN THIS ISSUE

MY

STOR

Y

FREEDOM

THE STATE OFRIGHTSTHE STATE OF

HUMAN RIGHTS

INTERNETACCESS

INTE

RNET

ACC

ESS

THAI

LAN

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THE

ARMS TRADETREATY

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REGIONAL HUB

THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING

MOST LOYAL MEMBERSSomsri Hananantasuk

Sarawut Pratoomrat

MOST FREQUENT VOLUNTEER Yutthana Klaysuban

MOST FREQUENT SPEAKERSIROTE KLAMPAIBOON

COUPLE MOST LOYAL TO AMNESTYSomthop and Supee Laoniyomthai

AMNESTY GROUP ACTIVISTSPatana Amnesty Club Bangkok

Power of the Pen

Power of the Pen, Patana School

AMNESTY NEW WAVE GROUPS: Amnesty International @ Patumwan

Demonstration School

Amnesty International @ PN.PSU,

Faculty of Political Science, Prince of

Songkla University, Pattani Campus

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Full version of the Annual General

Meeting 2013 at www.amnesty.or.th

Watch a video clip of Amnesty Interna-

tional Thailand Report 2013 at

www.youtube.com/AmnestyThailand

RECOGNITION

2013 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MEMBERS ALWAYS WITH AMNESTY

MOST FREQUENT VOLUNTEER

MOST FREQUENT SPEAKER

COUPLE ALWAYS WITH AMNESTY

AMNESTY GROUP ACTIVIST

AMNESTY NEW WAVE GROUP:

URGENTACTIONS

ACT NOW

FREEDOMAmnesty International Thailand’s magazine

for people passionate about human rights.

Volume 4 Issue 2 / 2013

Thanks, global arms trade treaty. We made history!

IN THIS ISSUE

MY STORYThe Amnesty International 2013 Human Rights Report knows no bounds.

THAILANDThe Lesé Majesté Law and Computer-Related Crimes Act continue to restrict expression

2013 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL THAILAND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MAKING HISTORY!Amnesty’s successful campaign for arms trade treaty: small acts of rebellion in the UN

TAKE ACTIONAn international appeal to change a life – all the information you need to take action

Sakanya Paluksakasemsuk

The problem of free expression is much closer to all of us.

MY

STOR

Y

Angkana Neelapaijit

Women are still thevictims of violence in many forms.

FREEDOM is Amnesty International Thailand’s magazine for human rights activists everywhere.

PASS IT ON When you’ve finished with your copy of FREEDOM, please pass it on to someone else so they can learn about Amnesty International and the vital work we do.

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL THAILAND

90/24 Soi Ladprao 1 Jomphol, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Tel: 02 513 8745

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Parinya Boonridrerthaikul

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Sineenart Muangnoo

EDITOR

Naowarat Suasa-ard Nawaphon SuphawitkulSutharee WanasiriPakamas Kamcham

DESIGN

Tabitha Yong

VOLUNTEERS

Tabtip Louhabanjong Billy Harrington-Roberts Waraporn NooringChulita ChaisurinNadia Jasem

THANKS

Angkana NeelapaijitSakanya PaluksakasemsukWIRE July/August 2013

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LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS

• Have you acted based on the informa-tion in this magazine?

• Have you shared this magazine’s information with anyone?

• Do you have photos or articles that you would like to share with other members?

• What would you like to see more of in future issues?

Growth Mobilization Coordinator

Amnesty International Thailand90/24 Soi Ladprao 1, Ladprao Rd., Jomphol, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

EMAIL membership@amnesty.or.thWEBSITE amnesty.or.th

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / YOUTUBE AmnestyThailand

FREEDOMI NEVER

IMAGINED THAT

TELLING THE

TRUTH ABOUT

WHAT HAPPENED

COULD MEAN

WALKING THE

LINE BETWEEN

LIFE AND DEATH...

Dina MezaHonduran journalist, human rights defender and member of the Committee of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared (COFADEH)

THE STATE OFRIGHTSTHE STATE OF

HUMAN RIGHTS

INTERNETACCESS

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The armed conflict continued in the South as insurgents targeted civilians

in violent attacks, while security forces enjoyed impunity for human rights

violations. The Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand issued its

final report, placing responsibility for the 2010 political violence on both

sides; however, accountability remained slow in coming. The government

continued to use the Lesé-Majesté law and the Computer-related Crimes

Act to restrict freedom of expression. Asylum-seekers and refugees faced

possible refoulement to their home countries.

Internal armed conflict

Accountability for political violence

THAILAND

Freedom of expression

Refugees and migrants

Death penalty

AMNESTY URGES THE GOVERNMENTON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION• To abolish the provision in the Lese majeste law that allows a citizen to report another for alleged violation• To stop censoring websites that are blocked to uphold the Lese majeste law• To release prisoners of conscience unconditonally

ON THE DEATH PENALTY• To establish a moratorium on executions• To commute all death sentences to terms of imprisonment• To abolish the death penalty and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

ON NATIONAL SECURITY LEGISLATION• To reform/repeal emergency legislation that does not comply with Thailand’s obligations under international human rights law• To stop arbitrary arrest and detention and to ensure that all detainees are brought promptly before a competent, independent judicial court

ON TORTURE• To expressly criminalize torture in legislation• To investigate all reports of torture by military officials and others who seek to bring justice upon them.

ON THE INTERNAL ARMED CONFLICT• To promptly investigate all reports of violations of international human rights and to prosecute those responsible, irrespective of rank, in pro-ceedings which meet international standards of fairness• To ensure that those held in detention centres and army camps have access to lawyers, family members and adequate medical care, and to allow immediate and unfettered access to all places of detention by independent human rights monitors;• To close unofficial detention centers and by amend the 2005 Emergency Decree to prohibit unofficial places of detention;• To clarify the fate and whereabouts of Somchai Neelapaijit and all others forcibly disappeared to ensure those responsible for their disappearance are brought to justice; • Ratify the International Convention for the Pro-tection of All Persons from Enforced Disappear-ances and effectively implement the Convention nationally after ratification.

ON THE POLITICAL CRISIS• To ensure that all complaints of human rights violations by the security forces are subject to immediate, thorough and independent investiga-tion and the perpetrators brought to justice, and to suspend suspected violators from duty.• To ensure the victims of human rights viola-tions and their families can obtain full repara-tion.

ON REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS • To respect the principle of non-refoulement and to ensure that no one is expelled, returned or extradited to a country or territory where they may face serious human rights violations• To investigate the forcible expulsion of Roy-ingyas and to ensure that those responsible for these incidents are brought to justice;• To ensure that individuals who are fleeing per-secution are afforded international protection;• To end the indefinite and arbitrary detention of refugees and to stop the detention of refugees in chronically overcrowded conditions;• To ratify the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol;• To enable migrant workers fair wages and equal remuneration for work, safe and healthy working conditions, and rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours;• To end all abuses faced by migrant workers, including trafficking and extortion.

THE

ARMS TRADETREATYARMS TRADE

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MOVING COSER TO THE GROUND

LOOKING FORWARD: THE INTERNATIONAL

COUNCIL MEETING (ICM) IN BERLIN

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL THAILAND BOARD

Mr. Somchai Homlaor ChairMr. Chamnan Chanruang MemberMs. Thanaphon Saleephol Member Mr. Baramee Chairath MemberMs. Chuensuk Arsaithamkul Treasurer

MEMBERS ALWAYS WITH ANNESTY

Somsri HananantasukSarawut Pratoomrat

MOST FREQUENT VOLUNTEER

Yutthana Klaysuban

MOST FREQUENT SPEAKER

SIROTE KLAMPAIBOON

COUPLE MOST LOYAL TO AMNESTY

Somthop and Supee Laoniyomthai

AMNESTY GROUP ACTIVISTS

Patana Amnesty Club BangkokPower of the Pen, Patana School

AMNESTY NEW WAVE GROUPS:

Amnesty International @ Patumwan Demonstra-tion School, Amnesty International @ PN.PSU, Faculty of Political Science, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus

__________________________________

Full version of the Annual General Meeting 2013 at www.amnesty.or.th

Watch a video clip of Amnesty International Thai-land Report 2013 at www.youtube.com/AmnestyThailand

RECOGNITION

2013 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

URGENTACTIONS